In 2016, people said UFC is not for Indians; I wanted to prove them wrong: Anshul Jubli

The 28-year-old fighter, hailing from a middle-class family in Uttarkashi, became the first Indian fighter to win a UFC fight, and the second to bag a UFC contractTwenty-eight-year-old Anshul Jubli is just back from his groundbreaking Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) fight, in which he thrashed Jeka Saragih of Indonesia in the finals at the UFC Apex, in Nevada, to bag a historic UFC contract in the lightweight division. The story of the BSF Jawan’s son, who fought his way from Dehradun to the UFC, even created a buzz on social media. Back home, he is now resting and nursing an ankle injury, but he is excited. "This was my dream. The last Indian who fought in the UFC in 2016 couldn’t win. And people said that an Indian fighter could not win in the UFC. I wanted to prove them wrong," says Anshul. Excerpts from the interview: Is it true that you learned your MMA basics by watching online tutorials?Yes. This was in 2015 or 2016. I was preparing for Combined Defense Service (CDS) exams to become an army officer, and I needed a certificate. So, I started MMA, but soon, I fell in love with it. I was going to a boxing academy, but MMA had other components — jujitsu, wrestling, and so on. But Dehradun didn’t have any facilities. So, I bought some mats with a friend, and we started practising with the help of online tutorials.Would you recommend it to beginners?If you don’t have an option, why not? Obviously, you cannot master the sport beyond a certain level by watching online tutorials. But if you are from a small town that doesn’t have boxing or MMA coaching, you can definitely go for this option. Because, you will at least get to know the basics.Why did you decide to become an army man?Ever since I was a kid, I was great with sports. So, everyone would tell me, 'You should be an army officer'. Also, my dad was in the BSF, so I was automatically inclined towards it. But when I got into MMA, I became obsessed. I thought this was me. You have to be smart, athletic, and fast — it is a deadly, rare combination. What made you give up the army path?When I was preparing for army exams, I used to think I couldn’t make a career out of MMA. But then, I met a Colonel, who, after hearing about my schedule, told me that rather than doing MMA in between my CDS preparation, I was doing it the other way around. This hit me, because it was actually true. Still, I didn’t completely turn to fighting, because my plan was fixed on a career and money. Then, at one point, I decided I'd give the sport all my attention for a year and went to Delhi. I joined Crosstrain Fight Club, in 2018, and later, Matrix Fight Night, an MMA promotion founded by Bollywood actor Tiger Shroff.How was life in a big city like Delhi?In Dehradun, I was giving math tuition to kids, and had saved up some money. I believed I could survive in Delhi on whatever I had saved. But when I actually went to Delhi, I burned through my savings in two months (laughs). But I survived and promised myself that I'd keep going, and I did!Were your parents encouraging throughout the journey?My father was always supportive. My mom is worried about injuries and such. Perhaps they have not been financially supportive, because they never had enough. But they raised a good son. They gave me values. You can take everything I have away, and I will still build it all back from scratch. And that is enough for me. From India to the UFC, what are the factors that contributed to your victory?The commitment during the first year I spent training in Delhi. After that, I started getting professional fights that paid me, and I didn’t have to think too much about staying afloat. But before that, there were times when I felt compelled to return to Dehradun. The fact that I didn't give up when things got hard was quite pivotal. Secondly, I go for training no matter what. If my ankle is injured, I do upper body workouts. If my wrist is injured, I train my lower body. Baarish ho ya toofan ho, mein training zaroor jaatha hun.Why do you think MMA is so popular?MMA is the fastest growing sport in the world, and is now in the top five sports that generate the most revenue in the world. Dana White, the president of UFC, was at a football game once, and in the parking lot, there was a fight happening. And every other person left the match and rushed there to see the fight. The bottom line is, if there is a fight happening, you will stop what you are doing and go see it. This is why MMA is growing (laughs).Your thoughts on India's fighting environment...India will not only gain popularity in MMA, but I believe it will also produce some very good fighters. Indian wrestlers are bringing Olympic medals home. Our boxing is strong, and jiu jitsu and kickboxing are also getting stronger. Also, most Indian athletes are from the middle class or lower middle class. They will soon realise that they have another option to earn money — through MMA. Even if the compensation is small, you are compensated for the promotion. I had to explain the sport to people five years ago. But in another five years, MMA will be the biggest sport in India.What is the hardest part about being a fighter?When I am in camp preparing for a fight, for those three months, I need to sleep and wake up at the same time. That discipline is the hardest part of the fight.So, what's next?I have started training. I have an injury, so I can’t train intensely. I will recover in a week or two. By mid-March, I am planning to leave for the US or Bali for a camp. I will discuss it with my coach and decide.